Brazil to Start Using Dolutegravir First-Line in Its National Program

Brazil will begin to use dolutegravir in its national programme early next year. The Ministry of Health has negotiated a 70% price reduction with ViiV Healthcare.

On 28 September, the Brazilian Ministry of Health announced that it expects to be treating about 80,000 new first-line patients with dolutegravir plus 20,000 who switch from efavirenz due to side effects by the end of 2017.

Brazil has planned a phased process that will exclude pregnant women and people receiving co-treatment for TB. The agreed price is around US$ 500 per person per year for dolutegravir -- and the country has bought 40 million tablets. "We are offering this treatment without budgetary impact," said the director of the ministry Adele Benzaken. (ie at no greater cost than efavirenz). Distribution will start in January 2017.

Comment

This is very good news. At this price, the overall Brazilian HIV budget will not be affected. And this news should be a useful bargaining tool for other middle-income countries that will hopefully be able to negotiate similar price levels for dolutegravir.

This article was provided by HIV i-Base. It is a part of the publication HIV Treatment Bulletin. Visit HIV i-Base's website to find out more about their activities, publications and services.

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